Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1887-10-13

by Tristot and Piyolot, and it was Henrietta
herself who opened the door for him. She
had tried to imagine what could be their
object, but vainly. And after all, what did
it matterl 1t would only be one torture more
Neither of the detectives entered the house
with NJ. Lacroix They remained in the gar
den, while ho mounted to the parlor. where
he said
II must ask your permission. madame. to 90
into your room for a few minutes only.a
"Whas do you wish to dor
"You shall see. 1t is an experiment.
He went into the room. Suzanne was not
in bed. She had begged SO hard OF her
mother not to make her go to bed until they
should have gone
"Oh, mother, motherl' she had begged.
protect me from that mani Forbid him TO
talk to me; he frightens mer'
As soon as she saw III. Lacroix she reiterated
TO the back of the room, while the magistrate
went out on the balcony. The night was
splendid The sky seemed covered with stars.
which shone like so many pitying eyes upon
this corner of the earth, where for two days
despair had made its habitation The calm
was SO great that there was not oven a leaf
stirring. Opposite the cottage of Larouette.
mournful and deserted since the assassina
ton, seemed to animate itself and to live
Before the open window of the victims room
a shadow moved. candle placed on the
table suddenly lighted the scene, the theatre
Of the crime Lacroix then came and took
Suzanne by the hand. She drew back, say
ing:
"Mamma, mamma, don't want to go!"
Henriette mechanically approached tho
balcony, not imagining what NJ. Lacroix in
tended to do, but, suddenly having seen, she
understood, and drew back with a cry of
horror.
"No, you shall not do that" cried the I'M
happy woman, throwing herself between SUI
zanne and M. Lacroix. "It would be an abom-
nation, an atrocious abuse of power that is
not permitted you. 1t is enough to have tor
tured us as you have done for the last two
days You are in my house and in my room,
and l have the right to order you to leave it,
and do. Col gol"
She was in state of agitation bordering
on insanity, and she drew back from NJ La
croix, hiding the child's terrified face in her
robe.
"But reflect, madame, said Lacroix
Il have told you that my child is sick. A
strong emotion may kill her, so delicate and
nervous she is. Have pity upon her, sir.
And what do you wish anyhow from hera
What of mes Why for two days have you
entered by force into our lives, giving us no
instant of reposeg A crime has been COM
mitted near us. Is it my fault or hersl You
trespass upon our rights, and your zeal carries
you too far. A woman's chamber should be
sacred to you, and. more sacred still the
terrors, the tears and the innocence of this
child. Go then, tell YOU"
She was angry, felt outraged, and not only
that, but hemmed in and helpless, and per-
haps she would have betrayed herself had
he not answered coldly:
"Since neither you nor our daughter knows
anything of tie murder of Larouette, how
can you know that we are about to rehearse
the crime!"
She said no more except "Have mercy upon
US, oh, Father Of the fatherlessl"
Lacroix said:
"Since she saw nothing why is she afraida
And why does she not wish to go with me on
the balconyg"
Suzanne suddenly lifted her head and
looked at her with regard which said plain
ly, "Fear nothing; am strong"
And with Lacroix she went out on the bal
cony. Opposite, in the little room, seated
before his secretary, was a man occupied with
his papers This was Tristot. Behind him
burned the candle which shed its light. La
croix touched Suzanne's shoulder. "Look,
child If you have seen you will remember"
Then came up the street tall man, with a
high gray hat, gray coat with cape. This
was Pivolot, i'll Rogers clothes. One by one
the dreadful scenes Of this drama were worked
out with remarkable force and precision.
Zone can see perfectly well, +" said Lacroix,
Hu,,I =. 1.
Gays, on this balcony. they saw. all"
During this time he held Suzanne by the
hand. He hoped that she would show some
emotion, mako some movement, but not one
did she make. Then be leaned over gently
and looked at her closely, and found that her
eyes were tightly closed and she held them so
with such force that her little face was one
mass of wrinkles. She had willed not to see,
and she had not scent
Sublime child" murmured the magistrate;
"she has conquered ME"